Prosecutor using therapy dogs to help victims

The Commonwealth's Attorney's office in Jefferson County said it will use specially-trained therapy dogs to ease the court experience for young victims and witnesses.

Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Josh Schneider is leading the program. Schneider told The Courier-Journal that similar programs are gaining popularity across the nation, but he is unaware of another one in Kentucky.

Schneider said it is unlikely that the dogs will be allowed in the courtroom, but they will be brought to the courthouse where they can sit with victims in a waiting room before and after they go into court to testify.